Automatic electric mop



March 1960 T. D. EVANS 2,930,057

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC MOP Filed July 9, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Tyndall D.Evans 1N VE N TOR.

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March 29, 1960 T. D. EVANS 2,930,057

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC MOP Filed July 9, 1958 4 Shaets-Slwet 2 Tyndall 0.Evans 1 N VE N TOR 0, BY Mafia WW 0mm March 29, 1960 T. D. EVANS2,930,057

' AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC MOP Filed July 9, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Tyndall D.Evans INVENTOR.

March 29, 1960 T. D. EVANS AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC MOP 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FiledJuly 9, 1958 B ade/l D. Evans 1N VEN TOR.

Un t d. S a e Patent AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC MOP Tyndall D. Evans, Dexter,Minn.

Application July 9, 1958, Serial No. 747,476

12 Claims. (Cl. 15--99) This invention relates to scrubbing and cleaningand more particularly to improvements in electric mops.

An object of the invention is to provide a structurally improved andrefined portable electric mop using an endless belt as an apron by whichto clean surfaces, regardless of the position of the surface. Forinstance, a mop constructed in accordance with the invention can be usedfor cleaning a floor, walls or a ceiling with liquid feed on the surfaceof the belt in one or more of the p'ositionsof the mop.

One of the important features of the invention is the construction ofthe mop using no supporting wheels, rollers or the like. The endlessbelt constitutes the sole supporting surface for the mop so that acomparatively equalized pressure on the surface that is being cleaned,is obtained, instead of a high local pressure in instances where wheelsare used. In addition the entire mop can be made very light so that itis easily moved from one position to another, from one floor to the nextor held in an overhead position for cleaning ceilings. This is true eventhough the preferred electric mop has a motor operated pump forscavengingthe dirty liquid from the mop after it has served its purposeof cleaning the surface of a floor, wall, ceiling, etc.

The automatic electric mop has numerous structural features ofimportance. These will become readily apparent in following thedescription of the illustrated form of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the mop.

Figure 2 is a rear view of the mop of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the mop of Figure 1 showing it .usedfor cleaning a ceiling surface.

. Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the mop showing it being used forcleaning a wall surface.

Figure 5 is a top view of the mop, parts broken away to illustrateotherwise hidden detail.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 6-6 ofFigure 5.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line7-7 of Figure 6, parts shown in elevation.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 88of Figure 6 and showing the detail of the manner in which the handle isconnected to the frame of the mop.

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the mop taken.

on line 99 of Fig. 5, parts being broken away in section to showotherwise hidden details of construction.

Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 111-10 ofFigure 9.

Figure 11 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 1111 ofFigure 10.

Figure. 12 is a sectionalview on an enlarged scale and taken on the line12-412 of Figure 9. Figure 13 is a fragmentary elevational view taken onthe line 13--13 of Figure 5.

- Figure 14 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view 9 Ice taken on theline 14-14 of Figure 5 and showing one of the guides for the endlessbelt, contacting one of the edges of the belt to constrain the travelthereof on its rollers.

In the accompanying drawings there is an automatic electric mop 10illustrated by Way of example only of the invention. As shown in Figures1, 3 and 4 the mop 10 can be used to clean surfaces at any angle in anyposition where the mop can be placed. For instance the mop 10 in Figure1 is shown in use on the floor. The mop in Figure 3 is the same as themop in Figure 1 but is being used to clean ceiling 12. Only minoradjustments, as will subsequently appear, are required to have the mopprepared to clean ceiling 12 or any other surface that is overheadeit-her-parallel or at an angle to the floor. The mop in Figure 4 isshown cleaning a vertical wall and here, only veryminor adjustments arerequired in the mop to convert from floor or ceiling cleaning to wallcleaning:

The mop has a frame 16 provided with sides 18 and 20 connected togetherby a plurality of transverse braces 21, 22, 23 and 24 that are securelyattached to the sides. An endless belt 26 made of a, backing 27 and nap28 or of any other suitable construction, is entrained over threerollers 30, 31 and 32, each of which is mounted for rotation between thesides 18 and 20 of frame 16. One of the rollers 31 is offset from aplane passed through the axes of rotation of rollers 30 and 32 so thatwhen the belt 26 is entrained over the three rollers, a triangularformation results, when viewed from the side (Figure 6). This producesthree flat cleaning areas 33, 34 and 35 made of the parts of the beltlocated between successive rollers 32, 30, 31 and back again to roller32. The area 33 receives liquid from spray head 36 which will bedescribed in detail subsequently. Area 34 is the cleaning area adaptedto contact the surface that is to be cleaned (Figures 1, 3 and 4), whilearea 35 remains isolated from areas 33 and 34 and has a drip pan 38located at an end thereof.

Roller 30, as are all of the other rollers, is hollow with a spindleextending through it or with a pair of spindles at the opposite endsthereof. These are mounted for rotation in belt tightening assemblies,such as assembly 39 (Figure 9). mounted in a sliding block 41constrained to move in the small casing 42 attached to the outsidesurface of side 20 of the main frame of the machine. Spring 43 seats onone end of casing 42 and on the-sliding block 41 and tends to push thesliding block toward the opposite end of the casing. Since the belt isentrained around roller 30, I

the spring 43, sliding block 41, spindle 40 and small casing 42constitutes a part of a belt tightener, the other part being identicalto this part but for the opposite end of the roller 30. A spring loadedplunger type latch 44 is carried by one wall of casing 42 and is adaptedto have the plunger projected into the casing 42 to hold the slidingblock 41 in one position in the casing, at which the belt 26 can heslipped from the side of the machine for removal. This also facilitatesthe application of the belt onto the rollers of the machine.

Rollers 31 and 32 are power driven by motor 47 located between areas 33and 34 of the belt. The motor is on motor mount 48 that is carried bymotor mounting plate 49 (Figure 6) attached to braces 23 and 24. Thesesame braces also support the presser plate 50 that-has'a bottom surfacein contact with the inner surface of the belt 26 between rollers 30 and31 so that the belt makes firm contact when on a proper plane betweenrollers 30 and 31 for much'more'effective cleaning. Motor 47,

has a line cord 51 passing through a grommet 52 in side 18 of the frame,with the line cord first connected with switch 52 on handle 53 of themachine in order that the Here, spindle 40 is shown 3 energization ofmotor 47 is easily achieved by the operator. Shaft 54 that extends, fromthe motor has a pinion 55 secured to it. The pinion is in a recess 58 inside 20 of the machine frame which also functions as, a gear case. Othergearing in the gear case is seen in Figure 9 and includes gear 61}enmeshed with pinion 55 and mounted on spindle 61. The spindle isconnected to spindle carrier plate 62 whoseends are disposed in'recesscs 63 and 64 in side 20 and are fixed in place, as by beingbolted. A pinion 66 is made integral with gear 61 and is in mesh withgear 67 attached to' thespindle 63 of roller 31. This spindle is mountedfor free rotation in bearing openings carried by both sides of the framewhereby roller 31 is power operated through the gearing. The gear 67 isenmeshed with gear 69, this gear being mounted on a spindle 70 supportedby gear spindle carrier plate 72 identical in constmction to plate 62,The final gear in the train is gear 73 which is enmeshed with gear 6 9and which. is fixed to roller 32.

Roller 32 has a spindle 74 passed. through it and in this instance thespindle is held fixed to the frame of the. machine by pin 75 passedthrough an openingin the spindle 74 and located in a bore 76 in side 20.Sleeve bearing 78 is disposed on spindle 74 and is in aligned openingsin collar 79 and end members 80 of roller 32. These are held in place bybolts which fasten them to each other and which fasten the cover 81 ofroller 32 in place. 4 p p H Handle 53 has a water control valve 90 at aconvenient location thereon. A water conductor from .an external sourceextends into the handle 53 and is connected to the valve 90. Thisconductor 91 then returns down, preferably through the handle that ismade hollow for this purpose, and isattached to spray head 36. The sprayhead is made of a transverse light weight channel 94 that opensdownwardly and that has an apertured plate 95 extending transverselyacross it above the area 33 of belt 26 (Figure 6). A pair of end plates97 and 98 are secured to the end channel 94 and are attached, forinstance by bolts 99, to the two sides of the frame 16. In this way thespray head can be moved over area 35 (Figure 3) when the mop is invertedfor ceiling cleaning. The same bolts 99 or additional bolts can be usedfor this purpose. Other standard fastening means may be used in place ofthe bolts 99.

Drip tray or pan 38 is mounted beneath area 35 of belt 26 and moreparticularly, is located on the gravitational side of roller 32 andwringer roller 100 that is superposed or juxtaposed with respect toroller 32. It is contact with belt 26 to squeeze the liquid therefromwhen the beltis in normal operation. The means for mounting the wringerroller 100 and drip pan 38 are important since they make it possible forthe automatic electric mop to be used in the various positions shown inFigures 1, 3 and 4 and in many other positions. Two

arms or brackets 11151 and 102 respectively are separably attached tosides Ztiand 18 of the frame 16. They protrude rearwardly of the mop andeach is constructed similarly with typical arm 102 shown in detail inFigure 1( It is made of a' member separate from side 20 and has a cavity1% within which spring 106 is disposed. Setscrew 108 is threaded incavity 104 and reacts on spring 106 to bear against sliding block 110.This slidmgblock is in cavity s and accommodates spindle 112 of Wringerroller 100. Therefore the wringer roller has one end pressed fimly incontact with the belt 26 while the other end is pressed equally firmlyin contact with the belt 26 by rn'echanisrn similar to' that shown inFigure In order to snow for adjustment of the roller 100 toward andaway'from roller 32, an amply" s'iz'ed slot 1:14 is in newan of bracket102 and has the spindle 11 2-passed through it.

n order to mount heatre prettier-er 102' as side as, sp1ndlef-74 isengaged in slot" 116but opens through one side of bracket102 (Figure 1).Nut 11 8 is on the threaded end of spindle 74 and is used to tighten thebracket 102 in place. A pair of slots 120 and 122 which are T-shaped incross-section, are formed in an end of arm 1112 and they engage studs124 that have heads thereon and that are secured to the side 20. Asshown in Figure 3 and in Figure 4 there are a plurality of the studs sothat the arm 102 can be attached to side 28 as shown in Figure 1 or whenrotated with respect to the position shown in Figure 1. The correctselection of studs 124 is madeflfor shifting to the new posi: tion,While slot 116' and nut 118 as well as the end of spindle 74 is used ineachposition of adjustment. Since the brackets 191 and 162 can beadjusted to selected positions with respect to'the frame of the machine,wringer roller is capable of being located in the new positions with thebrackets that support the wringer roller. At the same time, drip pan 38is moved to the new positions becauseit is carried by a pair of smallmetal plates 13 .3 and 132 attached to brackets 1111 and 102.Theendwalls 134m 136 of the drip pan are fitted en the outside surfacesof the small plates 13%; and 132 and brought thereagainst to stops 138on plates and 132 in order to establish a fully engaged position of thedrip pan with its plates 130 and 132. Bolt 146 in plate 130 and asimilar bolt for plate 132, are engaged in slots in the end walls 134and 136 of the drip pan and the nuts on the" bolts are tightened toseparably hold the drip pan in place directly beneath the point ofcontact of the wring er roller 100 with the belt. This constructionpermits the drip pan to beadjusted closer or farther from the wringerroller and heldin place, such adjustment being desirable when convertingbetween ceiling, wall and fioor use. d I

A strainer 15% having side mounting brackets 151 and 152, engaged overthe upper edges of the side walls of pan 38, extends longitudinally downthe pan 38 to strain the liquid that is squeezed from the belt prior. toentering the sump or lower portion of the pan. Suction tube 158 isdisposed in the pan 38 and is made of a short length of a tubing with aplurality of holes in it. A water conductor 160 is attached to one endof the suction tube or a pair of such conductors are attached to bothends of the suction tube, and they attach to the inlet of pump 164(Figure 7) that is on motor mount 48. The shaft of pump 164 is driven bythe end of shaft 54 opposite to that which has pinion 55 secured to it.The pump outlet has the drain line 166 connected with it, and this isadapted to be connected with a pail, service drain or the like fordisposal of the'water.

Handle 53 is connected with the frame 16 by a special structure sincethe mop is to be used in all positions and must exert asupportingfunction'beyo'nd the expectancy of an ordinary push-type handle.Therefore, the handle 53 has a fork 170 at its lower end and the ends ofthe fork are constructed the same (Figure 8). End 172 has a non-circularinwardly directed shank mounted in a rotary bearing 173 that is carriedby sleeve 174 made integral with or otherwise rigidly fixed to side 18of frame 16. Nut 175 is attached to bearing 173 on the exteriorsurfaceof side 18, and an arm 176 is attached to the opposite end of thebearing and on the inside of the side 18. This prevents the handlefork'from inadvertently becoming separated from the frame of themachine, although the handle may be removed by pulling the ends 172outwardly of bearings 173 when belt 26 must be removed. Torsion spring180 is engaged on sleeve 174, with one end anchored to side 18 and theother end con nected with arm 76, for instance by' being wrapped aroundit or engaging under it. The arm has stops .182 at its outer end, thestops adapted to co'ntapt pins .184 in order to limit the rotation ofthe and 176 and hence, handle 53 in two directions. Torsion-spring 180tends to return the handle to a rest or a neutral position. Therefore,the handle can be rocked back and-forth a limited dis tance againsttheyielding opposition or with-the force assess? ofspring .180 depending onthe directionof movement of the handle. However, when the limit ofmovement is reached, as established by stops 182 coming into contactwith pin 184, the user of the electric mop can hold the entire mopsupported in an upright position.

When the mop is used in any position it is desirable that the beltremain centered on the rollers 30, 31 and 32. Therefore guides (Figure14) 190 are arranged to contact the side edges of the belt 26 and keepthe belt in a prescribed travel. Guide 190 is made of a free turningroller on spindle 192. There is a recess 193 in side 20 for guide 190,and the major part of the roller 190 is countersunk in the recess withonly enough of the roller projecting outwardly from. the inside surfaceof side 20, to exercise its guiding functions on the edges of belt 26.Any number'of guides 190 can be used, it being preferred that there beat least one roller on each side of the belt, although several rollersforming guides such as the guide shown in Figure 14, be used along eachof the edges of the belt.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since. numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shownanddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An electric mop comprising a frame, a handle connected to said frame,a plurality of rollers, means rotatively mounting said rollers on saidframe, an endless belt entrained over said rollers, means reacting on afirst of said rollers for laterally moving said first roller in adirection to tighten said belt, an electric motor carried by said frame,means drivingly connecting said motor to at least one of the other ofsaid rollers to propel said endless belt, a wringer roller in contactwith said belt and located adjacent to a second of said plurality ofrollers to squeeze liquid from the belt, a drip pan located below saidwringer roller and said adjacent roller to collect the liquid squeezedfrom said belt, and mechanical means selectively positionable withrespect to said second roller for supporting said wringer roller andsaid pan so that the mop may be disposed at various angles for cleaningfloors, walls and ceilings with the pan located below the wringer andsecond rollers to collect the liquid squeezed from said belt.

2. An electric mop comprising a frame, a handle connected to said frame,a plurality of rollers, means rotatively mounting said rollers on saidframe, an endless belt entrained over said rollers, means reacting on afirst of said rollers for laterally moving said first roller in adirection to tighten said belt, an electric motor carried by said frame,means drivingly connecting said motor to at least one of the other ofsaid rollers to propel said endless belt, a wringer roller in contactwith said belt and located adjacent to a second of said plurality ofrollers to squeeze liquid from the belt, a drip pan located below saidwringer roller and said adjacent roller to collect the liquid squeezedfrom said belt, mechanical means selectively positionable with respectto said second roller for supporting said wringer roller and said pan sothat the mop may be disposed at various angles for cleaning floors,walls and ceilings with the pan located below the wringer and secondrollers to collect the liquid squeezed from said belt, said mechanicalmeans including a pair of brackets to which said pan is secured, andresilient means carried by said brackets for pressing said wringerroller against said belt.

3. An electric mop comprising a frame, a handle connected to said frame,a plurality of rollers, means rotatively mounting said rollers on saidframe, an endless belt entrained over said rollers, means reacting on afirst of said rollers for laterally moving said first roller in adirection to tighten, said belt, an electric motor carried by saidframe, means drivingly connecting said motor to at least one of theother of said rollers to propel said endless belt, a wringer roller incontact with said belt and located adjacent to a second of saidplurality of rollers to squeeze liquid from the belt, a drip pan locatedbelow said wringer roller and said adjacent roller to collect the liquidsqueezed from said belt, mechanical means selectively positionable withrespect to said second roller for supporting said wringer roller andsaid pan so that the mop may be disposed at various angles for cleaningfloors, walls and ceilings with the pan located below the wringer andsecond rollers. to collect the liquid squeezed from said belt, a sprayhead superposed over a part of said belt to apply liquid thereto, meansfor mounting said spray head in selected positions on said frame, and aliquid conductor connected to said spray head.

4. An electric mop comprising a frame, a handle connected to said frame,a plurality of rollers, means rotatively mounting said rollers on saidframe, an endless belt entrained over said rollers, means reacting on afirst of said rollers for laterally moving said first roller in adirection to tighten said belt, an electric motor carried by said frame,means drivingly connecting said motor to at least one of the other ofsaid rollers to propel said endless belt, a wringer roller in contactwith said belt and located adjacent to a second of said plurality ofrollers to squeeze liquid from the belt, a drip pan located below saidwringer'roller and said adjacent roller to collect the liquid squeezedfrom said belt, mechanical means selectively positionable with respectto said second roller for supporting said wringer roller and said pan sothat the mop may be disposed at various angles for cleaning floors,walls and ceilings with the pan located below the wringer and secondrollers to collect the liquid squeezed from said belt, a spray headsuperposed over a part of said belt to apply liquid thereto, means formounting said spray head in selected positions on said frame, a liquidconductor connected to said spray head, and means including a pumpdriven by said motor for withdrawing liquid from the bottom of said panand for discharging the liquid.

5. An electric mop comprising a frame, a handle connected to said frame,a plurality of rollers, means rotatively mounting said rollers on saidframe, an endless belt entrained over said rollers, means reacting on afirst of said rollers for laterally moving said first roller in adirection to tighten said belt, an electric motor carried by said frame,means drivingly connecting said motor to at least one of the other ofsaid rollers to propel said endless belt, a wringer roller in contactwith said belt and located adjacent to a second of said plurality ofrollers to squeeze liquid from the belt, a drip pan located below saidwringer roller and said adjacent roller to collect the liquid squeezedfrom said belt, mechanical means selectively positionable with respectto said second roller for supporting said wringer roller and said pan sothat the mop may be disposed at various angles for cleaning floors,walls and ceilings with the pan located below the wringer and secondrollers to collect the liquid squeezed from said belt, a spray headsuperposed over a part of said belt to apply liquid thereto, means formounting said spray head in selected positions on said frame, a liquidconductor connected to said spray head, means including a pump driven bysaid motor for withdrawing liquid from the bottom of said pan and fordischarging the liquid, said belt constituting the support for the mopby contacting a supporting surface, and guides secured to said frame andcontacting said belt along the edges thereof to constrain the movementof said belt on said rollers.

6. In an electric mop having a handle and a frame, means securing saidhandle to said frame for limited movement with respect to said frame sothat said mop gasses? frame can be supported at variou's positions forcleaning floors, walls and ceilings, an endless belt, a plurality ofrollers carried by said frame and on which said endless belt is mounted,said handle having a fork at one end between which said belt is adaptedto pass, said belt being removable from said frame by slipping outwardlytherefrom at the side of said frame after said handle is separated fromsaid handle securing means, and means for extracting liquid from thebelt as the, belt is propelled.

7. In an electric mop having a handle and a frame, means securing saidhandle to said frame for limited movement with respect to said frame sothat said mop frame can be supported at various positions for cleaningfloors, walls and ceilings, an endless belt, a plurality of rollerscarried by said frame and on which said endless belt is mounted, saidhandle having a i ork at one end between which said belt is adapted topass, said belt being removable from said frame by slipping outwardlytherefrom at the side of said frame after a said handle is separatedfrom said handle securing means, means for extracting liquid from thebelt as the belt is propelled, means including a drip pan for collectingthe extracted liquid from the belt, and means including a pump forwithdrawing liquid from said pan to exhaust the liquid to a remotelocation. i

8. In an electric mop having a handle and a frame, means securing saidhandle to said frame for limited movement with respect to said frame sothat said mop frame can be supported at various positions for cleaningfloors, walls and ceilings, an endless belt, a pluralityv of rollerscarried by said frame and on which said endless belt is mounted, saidhandle having a fork at one end be tween which said belt is adapted topass, said belt being removable from said frame by slipping outwardlythere from at the side of said frame after said handle is separated fromsaid handle securing means, means for extracting liquid from the belt asthe belt is propelled, means including a drip pan for collecting theextracted liquid from the belt, means including a pump for withdrawingliquid from said pan to exhaust the liquid to a remote location, a pairof arms, means attaching said arms to said frame in selected positionsso that said arms may assume 8 selected assumes with respeet to saidframe, said water extraction means carried by said arms, and said meansfor withdrawing liquid from said pan alsocarried by said arms so thatsaid liquid exti-ajctionmeansland said liquid withdrawing means areadjusted to selected positions with re spect to said tram-e, v

9. The mop of claim 8 wherein there are a plurality of rollerscarried bysaid frame over which said belt is entrained, resilient meansvreactingon at least one of said rollers to' extend one of said rollers and,thereby tighten the belt on said rollers,

10. The mop of claim 8 wherein there are three rollers mounted forrotation in said frame and over which said belt is entrained, saidliquid extracting meanscomprising a W'ringer roller, mounted adjacentrtoone of said three rollers with the belt squeezed therebetween. 11. Themop of 8 wherein there a spray head superposed respect to said belt andextending transversely across the belt, means for attaching said sprayhead to selectedparts of said frame so that said spray head occupiesdifferent positions relative to the belt when the mop is used forcleaning surfaces in different orientations. e

12. The mop of claim 8 wherein there is a spray head superposed withrespect to said belt and extending transversely across the belt, meansfor attaching said spray head to selected parts of said frame so thatsaid spray head occupies different positions relative to the belt whenthe mop is used for cleaning surfaces'in different orientations,'s aidhandle having a control valve thereon, and liquidconductors extending tosaid control valve and said spray head for controlling the admission ofliquid to said spray head.

McDonell Sept; 30, 1941

